Chitungwiza mayor bounces back in acting capacity

Chitungwiza Town Council has elected suspended mayor Gift Tsverere to act in the same position pending finalisation of a High Court challenge brought up by Zanu PF councillors.

Kiven Mutimbanyoka, a Zanu PF councillor for ward 13 approached the High Court seeking nullification of the mayoral election results of September 4, describing the polling process as irregular and illegal. High Court judge Justice Edith Mushore granted an interim order.

But on Wednesday, the councillors opted to elect Tsverere as the acting mayor until the next full council meeting with the hope that by then, the High Court case would have been finalised.

"I will be the acting mayor until the next full council meeting. We hope that by then, the High Court would have resolved the issue," Tsverere said.

In his court challenge, Mutimbanyoka who lost the election to Tsverere claimed no appropriate time was given for the elections; hence the meeting where elections were conducted was not properly constituted.

Tsverere was suspended together with his deputy, Jabulani Mtunzi and they were stopped from carrying out any duties as mayor and deputy mayor respectively.

"My election as acting mayor means that I can act and do certain duties on behalf of the city as prescribed by councillors. We know the case will soon come to an end," Tsverere said.

According to his notice of opposition filed through his lawyers, Messrs Mavhunga and Associates Legal Practice on October 18, Tsverere said although he and Mtunzi had decided "to eat a humble pie and consent to Mutimbanyoka's sought relief", they wanted the latter to know that he "must be day-dreaming if he harbours any minute chance of reversing the result in his favour."

In the election, Tsverere received 19 votes against two received by Mutimbanyoka as three other councillors walked out before the elections were conducted.